RTP-area local music and culture

[Joseph Churpek <joseph.churpek AT gmail.com>]

I like this conversation and I see your point, "what does that say about the
value of a CD when it is free?"

My answer.... "the truth."

Remember when you used to hear all the time, "man, my car got broken into
and they stole all my cd's." That problem dropped off the earth half a
decade ago. The average listener is not a physical copy fetishist, and the
listeners who are probably prefer wax. For most people now, CD's are the
packaging you take home to rip your new mp3's from. (So why not just give
out download codes? Because people are lazy... that's another topic).

The truth is, unless you're the Beatles and aren't worried about making new
fans, the value of the CD is all on YOUR end. It's not valuable anymore for
a listener to own your cd when they don't collect cd's anymore. You just
need to get your music in their hands, period. Charging for a CD is now like
asking a girl on a date and following up her "yes" with "ok, that'll be 10
bucks."

But I really like your response, and it has pushed me to think even further
about how to make that disc valuable for them. I say personalize it. If
you're giving it out a show, ask their name, write a thank you note on it.
(I'm not saying Autograph it, Bono). I'm saying to make it valuable by
giving it sentimental value that will tie back to a place in time for
them... "we" may not be CD collectors anymore, but every tourist town is
still full of magnets, snow globes and other kitsch. We like to make our
experiences real by having a physical token to prove it. Just a thought... a
weird one? Yah... but we (musicians) need to be thinking out of the box
because the entire music economy changed overnight. Ok choir, sermon over...



On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 10:56 AM, James Hepler <hepstyle AT gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm not a fan of giving music away, although I definitely see your point.
>  I
> believe that if you incur expenses to create something, it's fair to expect
> compensation for the goods produced.  Then I see shirts for $15 or $25 for
> one color on Gildan and freak out!  It's all about balance.  I think ten
> bucks is fair for a CD or a shirt.  We charge $15 for shirts that cost us
> $11 to make (full color is spensive).  And I think that's fair.  I think
> for
> me the bottom line is, if you give something away then it is YOU saying
> your
> product has no value.  I don't think that brings people into the fold.  I
> could be wrong.
>
> And back to kickstarter, I happily donated money tot he P-90's campaign.
>  $5
> gets you a copy of the EP.  Boom.  Like a presale.
>
> On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 10:21 AM, Joseph Churpek
> <joseph.churpek AT gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > Just one man's opinion...  don't ever beg fans for money. In fact...
> unless
> > you can live off it, don't ever even charge for your recorded music.
> >
> > Gig like crazy. Save gig money. Make your record. Share it with everyone.
> > Hopefully you get more supporters and the money will come back in the
> form
> > of people actually attending shows and if they really like you, you can
> > start selling other merch like shirts to superfans.
> >
> > A CD, or record, or tape, or whatever... is two things: 1. A chance to
> > share
> > your music, that is what it is all about right?. 2. A way to advertise
> your
> > live gig.
> >
> > Why would anyone put a limit on #1 and #2 by putting a price on it? Why
> add
> > that barrier for potential listeners?
> >
> > When it comes down to it... if Mump has enough support to get the disc
> put
> > out through kickstarter, good for him. But, rather than worrying about
> how
> > he makes it "fair" for the supporters who paid $25 instead $10... I think
> > instead he just needs to thank them until he's blue in the face, and then
> > not even charge for his music later. I doubt someone who'd give me $25 to
> > make a record would be too upset about me trying to share it with as many
> > people as possible.
> >
> > On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 9:49 AM, Ross Grady <grady AT ibiblio.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Yep. In more formalized investment environments, the folks who invest
> > > upfront expect to get an additional return above and beyond what the
> > random
> > > shmoes who come along later will get. Kickstarter actually has a blog
> > post
> > > somewhere aimed at potential project starters which touches on this,
> but
> > > it's clearly not required reading, inasmuch as way too many Kickstarter
> > > projects seem to either go the full-charity route, or at the very least
> > > seem
> > > to place a value on intangibles that's probably way too high in the
> > context
> > > of the local-music economy.
> > >
> > > I especially like the ones where, say, small-time local bands who'd be
> > > lucky
> > > to draw 30 people at the Cave put something like "personal concert at
> > your
> > > house!" way up at the top of the prize list.
> > >
> > > I guess I should write a New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs piece wherein the
> > > premium for a $3.00 donation is "I will make and serve you a cup of
> > coffee"
> > > and for $25 "I will personally take your order and deliver food and
> > > beverages of your choice* to your table. (*standard menu items only,
> > > please)"
> > >
> > > On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 9:41 AM, James Hepler <hepstyle AT gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > > I just have a philosophical question about this kind of kickstarter
> > > > campaign.  I've thought about trying to do one for some stuff, but
> > here's
> > > > my
> > > > obstacle:  If you are going to offer a "free" cd for a $25 donation,
> > are
> > > > you
> > > > going to charge the general public $25 as well?  How do you overcome
> > the
> > > > potential insult of asking for charity and then offering an NPR style
> > > deal
> > > > where you end up charging the people kind enough to donate, arguably
> > your
> > > > biggest fans, more for a product than you plan to charge people who
> > > didn't
> > > > donate?  I see the liner note thing, but is that really added value?
> >  It
> > > > doesn't cost you anything, nor is it more work to add a name to a
> liner
> > > > note
> > > > or put a name in a song.  And if someone gives $20 they get nothing
> > > > tangible
> > > > in return?  Someone who gives you $20 at the merch table gets what,
> two
> > > > cd's?  A CD and a shirt?
> > > >
> > > > I guess this is at the heart of my problem.  All bands are "listener
> > > > supported", but I see bands as straight up businesses. I won't go to
> > > parker
> > > > and otis because they charge 8 bucks for an egg salad sandwich!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 4:51 PM, Mump <gilbertgeorgeneal AT gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hello. I'm trying to fund my 4th CD through Kickstarter.com. I set
> a
> > > > > goal, if i make it the donations go to my project. if not, not. I
> > > > > would appreciate any help. You can donate as little as $1 but every
> > > > > bit helps. Thanks.
> > > > >
> > > > > Here's the link to my project. Thanks everyone.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1693912192/no-hard-feelings-my-fourth-album
> > > > > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > > > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Der Weg ist das Ziel
> > > > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> > > >
> > > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> > >
> > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Der Weg ist das Ziel
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>